Identifying inequities in maternal and child health through risk stratification to inform health systems strengthening in Northern Togo
Objective In Togo, substantial progress in maternal and child health is needed to reach global development goals. To better inform clinic and community-based health services, this study identifies factors associated with maternal and child health care utilization in the Kara region of Northern Togo. Methods We conducted a population-representative household survey of four health clinic […]
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Skilled Assistance Seeking Maternal Healthcare Services and Associated Factors among Women in West Shoa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Background. This study aimed to assess women’s knowledge, attitude, and practice towards skilled assistance seeking maternal healthcare services in West Shoa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. Methods. Cross-sectional survey design was conducted from 1 February to 23 March 2018 in West Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the participants. […]
Enablers and barriers to introduction of obstetrics ultrasound service at primary care facilities in a resource-limited setting: a qualitative study in four regions of Ethiopia
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of eight ANC contacts during pregnancy, of which having one ultrasound examination before 24 weeks of gestation is indicated. Ultrasound plays a significant role in the surveillance and management of high-risk pregnancies. However, the obstetric ultrasound coverage in resource limited settings remains low. Evidence examining the […]
The unmet need for Emergency Obstetric Care in Tanga Region, Tanzania
Background: Improving maternal health by reducing maternal mortality constitutes the fifth Millennium Development Goal and represents a key public health challenge in the United Republic of Tanzania. In response to the need to evaluate and monitor safe motherhood interventions, this study aims at assessing the coverage of obstetric care according to the Unmet Obstetric Need […]
Comparative models of biological and social pathways to predict child growth through age 2 years from birth cohorts in Brazil, India, the Philippines, and South Africa
Background: Early growth faltering accounts for one-third of child deaths, and adversely impacts the health and human capital of surviving children. Social as well as biological factors contribute to growth faltering, but their relative strength and interrelations in different contexts have not been fully described. Objective: The aim of this study was to use structural […]
Different factors associated with loss to follow-up of infants born to HIV-infected or uninfected mothers: Observations from the ANRS 12140-PEDIACAM study in Cameroon
Background: Loss to follow-up (LTFU) is a cause of potential bias in clinical studies. Differing LTFU between study groups may affect internal validity and generalizability of the results. Understanding reasons for LTFU could help improve follow-up in clinical studies and thereby contribute to goals for prevention, treatment, or research being achieved. We explored factors associated […]
Soil-transmitted helminthiasis among mothers and their pre-school children on Unguja Island, Zanzibar with emphasis upon ascariasis
Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) is a scourge to the health and well-being of infants and pre-schoolchildren throughout many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. To improve maternal and child health, regular de-worming is recommended and often delivered from mother and child health (MCH) clinics, yet there have been few studies monitoring the progress and impact of interventions on […]
Bolivia programme evaluation of a package to reach an underserved population: Community-based maternal and newborn care economic analysis
To address inequitable access to health services of indigenous communities in the Bolivian highlands, the Bolivian Ministry of Health, with the support of Save the Children-Saving Newborn Lives, conducted operational research to identify, implement and test a package of maternal and newborn interventions using locally recruited, volunteer Community Health Workers (vCHW) between 2008 and 2010. […]
Approaches to accelerating the study of new antiretrovirals in pregnancy
Introduction: Women who are pregnant or who could become pregnant experience delayed access to or underinformed use of important new antiretroviral (ARV) drugs because of traditional drug development processes that ostensibly aim to reduce potential harm but effectively fail to ensure that timely information about safe and effective use in pregnancy is available. Discussion: The […]
Pre-pregnancy iodized salt improved children’s cognitive development in randomized trial in Ethiopia
The overarching Ethiopia project examined the effects of early market introduction of iodized salt on the growth and mental development of young children. Sixty districts were randomly assigned to intervention (early market access to iodized salt) or control (later access through market forces), and one community per district was randomly chosen as the sampling unit. […]
